Mama Nadia’s Kitchen is becoming a fixture of the food scene here in Victoria as they serve up delicious authentic Egyptian comfort food.
The Mediterranean eatery is run by husband and wife duo, Ahmad and Sondoss Muhamad, who have been passionately working out of their Cook Street location for two years now.
They run their business out of the Cook Street Village Activity Centre at 380 Cook Street, offering takeout food for pickup or delivery.
“We both share a deep passion for bringing authentic flavors to our community,” Ahmad told Victoria Buzz.
“This has been our home from the start, and it’s been great seeing more people discover us in this space.”
The Muhamads say that to them, food is more than just nourishment, it’s about telling the story of their culture and bringing people together by sharing their story.
“Victoria has such a diverse and curious food scene, and we wanted to introduce authentic, home-style dishes that people might not have tried before,” Ahmad explained.
“It’s a taste of home, history, and tradition, all in one meal.”
The name for their restaurant was inspired by a real person. Mama Nadia was an Egyptian housewife with a deep passion for cooking that was dear to the Muhamads.
“She has always loved preparing meals for her family and friends, making guests from all around the world feel at home with her warm hospitality and amazing food,” said Ahmad.
“Her secret recipe? Cooking with love and care.”
Mama Nadia’s food
The menu at Mama Nadia’s Kitchen has a plethora of specialty dishes, hearty bowls as well as snacks and starters, and they have no problem observing dietary restrictions for customers who are nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan.
Some of their most popular dishes include their ‘Juicy Lamb Shank,’ their ‘Koshari,’ as well as their ‘Chicken Schwarma’ and ‘Falafel Wraps.’
(More below)
The lamb shank is slow-cooked until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender, and infused with deep, warm spices.
Their ‘Okra Stew’ is another popular dish. It is a hearty dish that’s full of rich tomato flavors, tender lamb and plenty of okra, all seasoned with traditional spices.
Their falafel is tender, light and fluffy on the inside with a satisfying crunchy exterior and is made daily from scratch at Mama Nadia’s.
In addition to all their dishes, they have a myriad of dips and sauces to choose from while ordering, each offering something unique to the dishes.
Mama Nadia’s future
Like most small businesses and restaurants in Victoria, Mama Nadia’s is no exception when it comes to feeling budgetary pressures of rising food costs and supply chain issues.
“Keeping prices fair while maintaining quality is always a challenge, but we’re committed to offering authentic, homemade dishes without compromising on ingredients or preparation,” Ahmad told Victoria Buzz.
Additional struggles the Muhamads have been navigating include ensuring food stays fresh as their customers take it home with them as well as being located in a community centre, based out of a ghost kitchen, which makes it hard for customers to reach them.
“The best way to support us is by ordering food, spreading the word, and leaving reviews,” Ahmad explained.
“Word-of-mouth and social media are huge for a small business like ours. We appreciate every customer who shares their experience, recommends us to friends, or leaves a kind review online. Every bit of support helps us grow,” he added.
Although currently, Mama Nadia’s Kitchen offers only takeout from their Cook Street Village kitchen, they hope to one day be able to have people dine-in with them.
For now they have been focussing on having as many people as possible try their food and to expand their catering services.
